The Portuguese Way from Oporto by bicycle is the perfect route for all those people who cannot live without the sea. An ideal route for beginners as it has a flat and comfortable terrain that follows the coastline, always with an eye on the Atlantic Ocean. From the bohemian city of Oporto, you will discover important towns in the north of Portugal, beaches and estuaries until you cross the border and enjoy the beautiful panoramic views of the mouth of the Minho River. Once in Galicia, you will ride through beautiful fishing villages and important cities such as Vigo and Pontevedra until you reach the interior of Galicia following the traditional itinerary of the route to Santiago de Compostela.

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Travel Itinerary

You will start your adventure in the bohemian and beautiful city of Porto, which is home to a large number of heritage sites and cultural legacies of Portuguese history. We recommend you to arrive in the city in the morning, leave your things in your accommodation and go out. You can start your visit at the Avenida de los Aliados, the heart of the city, a flagship for the locals and a meeting place for a multitude of cultural events. Drop by Praza da Liberdade and stroll to the famous and beautiful Lello e Irmão bookshop. Afterwards, and immediately next door, you must visit the Torre de los Clérigos. The town of Oporto is, in short, a magnificent start for the Portuguese Way by bicycle.

For a snack we recommend you to try the famous francesiñas and for dessert, a cream cake. After lunch you can walk down to the Ribeira, passing by the São Bento station and the Cathedral. Porto is a wonderful city to get lost in the streets of its monumental area… cobblestones, tiles, colours, wine, culture and tradition come together in its narrow streets.

We start the first day of this fantastic experience, so let’s hit the pedals. The Portuguese Way along the coast leaves Oporto along the riverside, through bike paths and placid beaches with comfortable cycling paths.

The dynamics that you will have to follow during the whole trip will be the following: pedal as close as possible to the Atlantic Ocean, so if you have doubts at any time you should always look for the sea. The first 10 kilometres take you to Matosinhos. To cross the port area we will have to cross a bridge with a lot of traffic that can be a bit confusing due to the large number of roundabouts and turns. Remember to look for the sea!

The next stop on the route will be the beach of Leça da Palmeira, passing by an imposing lighthouse and, a little further on, an ugly industrial area that will break the beauty of the walk.

After passing the factory, you will reach Labruge, where you can stop to rest before starting a small climb that will take you a couple of kilometres away from the sea. You will return to the blue of the ocean in Moreiro with 25 km behind you. The route continues through towns such as Azuara and Vila do Conde until we reach Póvoa do Varzim, where we will find everything we need to rest.

You will say goodbye to Póvoa de Varzim pedalling happily along a bike path that crosses the town. When you reach the end of the beach, you will continue your peculiar walk by the sea. The first kilometres of the day will take you along beaches, momentarily moving away from the sea to pass through the occasional area of greenhouses and fields of crops.

After reaching the small town of Apulia, you will approach an area of woods and pine forests that lead to Bofins Beach. A few more kilometers and you will be in Esposende, a perfect place to stop.

You will continue the route going up to the cemetery of Castelo de Neiva in a quite hard slope, but you will be rewarded with the pilgrim atmosphere that the area has due to the presence of hostels, then in a more cyclable terrain, you will arrive to Chafé and after a slight ascent of 2 kilometers you will have unbeatable views of the first city of the day: Viana do Castelo. Be careful on the descent, as the signs can be confusing, you should not leave the road at any time.
You will continue cycling looking for the upper part of the city, towards the beautiful Basilica of Santa Luzia. Going northwards you will reach the sea again, driving parallel to it for a few kilometres.

After passing through an area of labyrinthine streets, stone walls and cobblestones you will reach a small ravine, in an area of rivers, waterfalls and water mills. The last 20 km of the stage run through pine and eucalyptus forests and the occasional steep slope. After crossing a bridge and a stream we arrive at the first houses of Vila Praia de Ancora.

It’s time to say goodbye to Vila Praia de ncora. You will cycle along the promenade until you reach a small stone fort next to the harbour. You will always continue in a northerly direction and next to the sea.

It won’t be long before you reach Caminha, where you can make the stop of the day to regain your strength. Now you must go to the ferry pier to cross the river Minho and the border with Portugal, thus accessing the town of A Guarda.

After skirting the slopes of the Santa Tecla mountain, we arrive at the port of A Guarda, where you can enjoy a good fish or seafood dish.

You will leave A Guarda on a beautiful rocky path by the sea, with some stretches where you will have to get off the bike, but it will be worth it because of the beauty of the landscape. After passing Oia, you will continue along a placid path by the sea. The remaining 17 kilometres you will continue close to the ocean and, after bordering a mountain, you will reach Baiona, which is the end of the day.

You will say goodbye to Baiona cycling through a residential area that will gradually lead you to a more rural environment with scattered villages, interspersed with the occasional wooded stretch. After a short drive on the road you will reach a series of villages before arriving at the first stop of the day, the city of Vigo.

After the usual stop, you will leave Vigo following a long road through quiet villages, after several kilometers, the houses will be replaced by trees and great panoramic views of the city of Vigo and the estuary, full of rafts; in the background you can also see the Cies Islands.

You will descend with this wonderful scenery to the town of Redondela, where you can make another technical stop. From this point only 6 km separate you from Arcade, a small fishing village famous for its oysters. So you know, good place to eat.

Shortly after saying goodbye to Arcade, you will enjoy one of the most iconic sceneries of the entire Portuguese Way, Ponte Sampaio. It is a colossal stone bridge that spans the river Verdugo and where, during the War of Independence, a battle was fought that led to the withdrawal of French troops in Galicia. After crossing the bridge you will pedal past pazos, hórreos and cruceiros and small villages until you reach Pontevedra.

Last stage of your Portuguese Way along the coast by bike from Oporto! Today we recommend you to leave early in order to make the most of the day in the Galician capital. After crossing the river Lérez, the road leaves Pontevedra and takes you to the Marismas de Alba observatory, a large wetland of 80 hectares that is home to hundreds of plant species and 123 species of birds. The route runs along roads where there are many crossroads and level crossings, so you should take extreme caution. Once you get to Briallos, we recommend you take a detour of half a kilometre to visit the Cascadas del Barosa, a natural site of extraordinary beauty, with a beautiful sixty-metre waterfall and fourteen mills arranged along the waterfalls. Shortly after you will arrive at Caldas de Reis, one of the most important thermal villages in Galicia and a good place to stop and get your strength back.

The next stop will be Padrón, where you can’t leave without tasting its famous peppers and discovering if they are as hot as they say… or not. In Padrón you can also find the famous “Pedrón”, the stone with which they moored the boat that carried the remains of the Apostle Santiago.

The last stretch goes through forests, crosses, bridges and old churches until it reaches the parishes of Teo and Ames, the anteroom to Santiago de Compostela. All that remains is to savour the last few kilometres and stroll through the old town of Compostela until you make your triumphal entry into the Plaza del Obradoiro.

You are in Santiago! Feel happy and proud to have completed your Portuguese Way from Porto along the coast by bike. Now we just need to pick up the Compostela certificate and enjoy an incredible day getting to know the Galician capital.

Congratulations! You have completed your Portuguese Way by bike from Porto along the coast. This last day you are in charge, you can go back home or enjoy one more day in Santiago. And how beautiful is Compostela.

Did you know that all roads end in Finisterre? If you feel like cycling, we encourage you to complete the 90 kilometres that separate Santiago from Finisterre. The most magical and spiritual route that hides real treasures such as Ponte Maceira, one of the most beautiful villages in Spain or the sunset of the Finisterre lighthouse, one of the most beautiful in the world.

Map of the Way

Type of accommodation

Detalles

Services included

7 days / 6 nights accommodation7 days / 6 nights accommodation
Luggage transfer during the stagesLuggage transfer during the stages
Complete documentationComplete documentation
Pilgrim’s CredentialPilgrim’s Credential
On-the-road emergency telephone assistanceOn-the-road emergency telephone assistance
Travel insuranceTravel insurance

Optional Services

ServiceIn hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto (variant by the coast)
BreakfastBreakfast65€ per person
MP (Breakfast and dinner)MP (Breakfast and dinner)155€ per person
Supplement for single roomSupplement for single room195€ per single room
Extra night in Santiago de CompostelaExtra night in Santiago de Compostela120€ (sing. room) / 150€ (doub. room)
Alquiler bicicleta (aluminio)Alquiler bicicleta (aluminio)260€ per bicycle
Alquiler bicicleta (carbono)Alquiler bicicleta (carbono)345€ per bicycle
Electric bike rentalElectric bike rental375€ per bicycle
Breakfast Breakfast
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto (variant by the coast) 65€ per person
MP (Breakfast and dinner) MP (Breakfast and dinner)
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto (variant by the coast) 155€ per person
Supplement for single room Supplement for single room
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto (variant by the coast) 195€ per single room
Extra night in Santiago de Compostela Extra night in Santiago de Compostela
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto (variant by the coast) 120€ (sing. room) / 150€ (doub. room)
Alquiler bicicleta (aluminio) Alquiler bicicleta (aluminio)
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto (variant by the coast) 260€ per bicycle
Alquiler bicicleta (carbono) Alquiler bicicleta (carbono)
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto (variant by the coast) 345€ per bicycle
Electric bike rental Electric bike rental
In hotels, guesthouses and rural houses from Oporto (variant by the coast) 375€ per bicycle

Photos

Frequently Asked Questions

The Camino de Santiago by bike includes the following services:

  • Accommodation
  • Luggage transport
  • Dossier with information about the stages
  • Pilgrim's credential
  • On-the-road helpline
  • Travel insurance

In addition, you can customize your trip by adding the following optional services:

  • Breakfast or half board
  • Extra night at the beginning or end of the stage
  • Bicycle rental

Unlike the group trips, no bus service, guide or support vehicle is included between stages. But you will have a 24-hour hotline where you can contact us in case of any problem or unforeseen event, which we will solve quickly.

Yes, you will have total freedom to choose your departure date. However, if you want to do your Camino de Santiago in the months of December, January and February, we recommend that you check availability before making your reservation. At this time of year most accommodation is closed and many services may not be available.
In your travel documents, you will find the names of the accommodations assigned to you, as well as their contact telephone number and location.   As a general rule, all accommodation is located in the centre of the different towns along the Pilgrims' Route to Santiago de Compostela, without the need to deviate too far from the route. But sometimes, due to lack of availability, it is possible that some accommodation may be a little far from the village or even in neighbouring towns.   For all the accommodations that are at a considerable distance from the route of the Camino, we will provide you with a free taxi service that you can use to get to your accommodation and return to the Camino the next morning.   In any case, these are exceptions that we will inform you at the time of booking.
Luggage transport service by default is included in all our trips and it is not necessary to request it. You will be able to do the Camino de Santiago without your luggage on your back with the peace of mind that your suitcase will be at your next accommodation on your arrival.   Along with your credential you will also receive stickers, which you must cover with the requested information and stick it in a visible place on your suitcase.   Once you have arrived at your accommodation, we recommend that you ask at reception where you can leave your luggage. You will have to leave your luggage at the indicated place first thing in the morning for our carrier to pick it up. This way, when you arrive at your next accommodation your luggage will already be there.
Yes, we make sure that all assigned accommodations have a place where you can leave your bike safe and sound.

We have high quality mountain bikes and electric bikes that you can rent during the whole Camino. Check the details here.

We include a compulsory insurance with each trip that will cover you for any inconveniences that may arise during the Camino de Santiago. We will send you the insurance policy together with your travel documents.
The basic travel insurance included in our packages has a wide coverage against unforeseen events, with which you will also have guaranteed medical assistance and numerous benefits that you can consult in the General Conditions of Travel Insurance.

In your travel documents you will find an emergency telephone number where we we are available on the road when you need us. This way you will travel with peace of mind knowing that one of our companions will help you to quickly solve any problem, incident or doubt that you may have along your Camino de Santiago.

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